A guide to developing an outcomes framework for archives

Archive services need to be able to clearly demonstrate the contribution they make to better outcomes for individuals, communities and places. This is particularly true for local authority archive services, whereby one of the key challenges for public services is to be able to demonstrate that investment and action are improving people's lives.

Furthermore, archives often have a low internal and external profile amongst key stakeholders who may not understand the contributions that archives can make to a wide range of organisational goals and activities.

This resource is intended to provide guidance for all types of archive services, not just those in local authorities, on how to create a local outcomes framework. Creating a framework will help you measure and evidence the difference archives make and its contribution to local priorities. It will also help you make the case for continued investment of public money, develop persuasive funding bids and engage with a wider range of stakeholders than you may currently work with.

The guidance draws extensively on the Outcomes Framework for Culture & Sport, a process developed by Local Government Association (LGA) working with partners, Sport England, Arts Council England, English Heritage and the Chief Cultural and Leisure Officers Association (CLOA).

The revisions to this original guidance are part of the Catalyst programme to support the UK archive sector, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and led The National Archives (TNA) Archives and Records Association (ARA), The Welsh Government (CyMAL: Museums Archives and Libraries Wales), Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, and Scottish Council on Archives. How will an outcomes framework help me?

A local outcomes framework will help you show clearly the links between the archive services and the achievement of better outcomes in your area.

This guide includes example outcomes frameworks that suggest how archive activities may contribute to better outcomes for:

- Health and Well-being
- Stronger and Safer Communities
- Learning and Education

A further example gives suggestions of how archives may contribute to better outcomes across a number of policy themes. The examples are there to give you ideas, not to constrain you. What is important is that you link archive activities to the priorities and outcomes relevant to your own area.

Creating an outcomes framework for archives that does this will help you:

- measure and evidence the difference archives make and the contribution to local priorities
- make the case for continued investment and communicate the value of archives to opinion formers & decision makers
- focus business and service plans on the priorities for the local area
- promote improvement by identifying what works in delivering better outcomes
- engage with and influence the commissioning process
- strengthen collaborative working and demonstrate to others why they should be working with archives

Return to top What should my framework include?

This guide will help you create a local outcomes framework for archives consisting of:

- Outcomes triangle
- Logic model
- Evidence
- Performance indicators

Ideally, you should develop all four elements to really show the difference your service makes. But you don’t have to. If you want to start with just an outcomes triangle or logic model you’ll still find that useful.

Outcomes triangle

The outcomes triangle gives an overview of how archives contribute to local priorities, either overall or to a specific policy theme such as health and wellbeing.

It shows the different levels of outcome that archives contribute towards.

Starting from the top, the outcomes triangle shows:

Overarching strategic outcomes

These are very high-level, long-term outcomes that archive services, along with other services, contribute to across the local population. They are likely to reflect the overall responsibilities of key decision-makers; notably local government, but also other related organisations such as voluntary groups, charities, healthcare providers and educational bodies.

Overarching strategic outcomes should resemble the local priorities set out in your local strategic plan, vision statements, partnership agreements, corporate plan or other strategic or partnership documents.

Intermediate outcomes

These are more specific outcomes resulting directly from peoples' experiences of archives. They are most likely to relate to service users or other specific groups. They show how archives contribute in the short to medium term to the overarching strategic outcomes for the local population.

You may be able to identify intermediate outcomes in your local strategic plan, vision statement, corporate plan, service plans and funding or partnership agreements. If not, you may need to define them based on the differences you understand your service makes to individuals and communities.

Service outcomes

These are outcomes for archive services. Unlike the overarching or intermediate outcomes they are within the direct control of the archive service. Service outcomes should reflect the priorities in your archive service’s strategy, organisation business plan, department or service plans, action plans, partnership or funding agreements.

A step-by-step guide to creating an outcomes triangle and logic model

Logic model

The logic model illustrates the main links between archive activities and local outcomes. It shows understanding of the benefits archives can provide for individuals, communities and places, and how these in turn contribute to the achievement of intermediate and overarching strategic outcomes.

Used from left to right, the logic model will help you evidence, communicate and advocate the contribution of the archive service to the overarching strategic outcomes for your area. This in turn will help you strengthen partnership working and engage with the commissioning process.

Used from right to left, it will encourage service planning, improvement and design that is focused on achieving the overarching strategic outcomes. The underlying assumptions about how and why the activities lead to the different levels of outcome – the 'cause and effect' relationship between provision and outcomes – should be supported by evidence wherever possible.

A step-by-step guide to creating an outcomes triangle and logic model

Return to Top Evidence list The evidence section of the framework underpins the outcomes triangle and logic model. It lists the sources of evidence that together best demonstrate the contribution of archives to the outcomes.

You should use local evidence such as research studies, evaluations, surveys and case studies to support your outcomes triangle and logic model, as long as it is robust. You can back this up with evidence from national or international sources. You should aim to evidence all the different levels of outcome and the assumptions linking them together.

The main source of evidence used in the examples given has been drawn from the Culture and Sport Evidence (CASE) Programme Research Database, which is managed by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

CASE database – includes over 12,000 studies on engagement in culture and sport, in an online, searchable database. There are a number of studies relevant to archives, so it can help underpin your outcomes framework with validated national and international evidence from published research.

This has been supplemented by the research and evidence identified by The National Archives and drawing on archived resources from the Museums Libraries and Archives Council (MLA).

The Impact Database, a bibliographical resource relating to research on the social and economic effects of culture in Scotland, which was previously held by the Centre for Cultural Policy Research at Glasgow University, has now also been transferred to the CASE website.

Example of an evidence list

A step-by-step guide to reviewing the evidence

Performance indicators The set of performance indicators (PIs) is how you measure the contribution of archives to local outcomes.

Example set of performance indicators

The examples provided are to help you select indicators appropriate to your own area, using a ‘pick-and-mix’ approach. You don't have to use any of these suggestions if the PIs you already use are more relevant.

You should identify a small number of PIs for each level of outcome (service, intermediate and overarching strategic outcome levels), as well as service output indicators.

Your PIs should provide a mix of outcome-focused quantitative and qualitative data and, alongside existing management information, also enable you to demonstrate efficiency and productivity.

A step-by-step guide to selecting performance indicators

Return to Top How do I create my own framework?

You can decide your own approach to developing your outcomes framework for archives or you can follow the five recommended stages. Each stage has a step-by-step guide that outlines things to think about and a suggested process to follow.

The five stages of creating an outcome framework

1. Decide your overall approach
2. Create an outcomes triangle and logic model
3. Review the evidence
4. Select performance indicators
5. Finalise and use your framework. Review annually

The step-by-step guide includes links to downloadable templates and examples that may help you and give you ideas. But don't be constrained by them: you can use them as much or as little as you want.

What matters is that you find a way to create your own framework that works for you.

You need to include what matters in your local area and build an outcomes framework that suits your local needs.

Stage one: decide your overall approach

Stage two: create an outcomes triangle and logic model

Stage three: review the evidence

Stage four: select your performance indicators

Stage five: finalise and use your framework Stage one: decide your overall approach

You should begin by deciding how you will use your outcomes framework, the type of framework you want and who you will involve in developing it.

1. Decide who you need to provide with evidence

Think about who you need to provide evidence to about the contribution of archives to local outcomes.

For example, is it commissioners of specific services such as children’s services or health, councillors or Board members who are interested in the ‘big picture’? Perhaps it’s colleagues in another department such as adult social care or an external organisation or funding body?

2. Choose to create either a generic framework or theme-based framework(s)

Think about how you will use your outcomes framework to help you decide which approach to take.

Use a generic framework to give a broad overview of how archives contribute to local priorities and cover a number of policy themes. This is also a good approach as part of a service review, as it will capture the totality of your contribution.

Or develop a theme-based framework to show in more detail the contribution archives make to outcomes under one or more specific policy themes, such as health and wellbeing, stronger and safer communities or learning and education. They will be most useful if you want to influence decision makers or potential partners in another sector or service area.

3. Plan who will lead and be involved in the process

Decide who to involve in developing your framework and how you will manage it. Creating the framework will need some dedicated time. Who will lead the process? Will the framework be developed as part of a team meeting or separate outcomes planning session? You may decide to task an individual or small project group.

If you work in a local authority you may decide to draft the framework through a session involving councillors and officers from different services or by involving service commissioners? Think about whether or how to involve your corporate policy and performance unit, scrutiny boards and representatives from local strategic or enterprise partnerships, for example.

If you work for other organisations you may want to involve strategic decision-makers in developing your framework e.g. the Vice Chancellor, departmental heads, directors, or Board of Trustees.

Also consider whether you want to focus solely on the work of your service or whether it would be beneficial to work with others. For example, if you are part of a broader cultural service, then it may be appropriate to develop a team framework drawing on examples from the Outcomes Framework for Culture & Sport on the Local Government website.

You may want to involve external partners from voluntary organisations such as community archives or residents associations, to encourage them to adopt the framework or you may need them to help provide evidence and data. Some councils have found working with partners to create their outcomes framework important to gain their ‘buy-in’.

Once you have decided which approach will be of most use, follow the remaining stages to develop your outcomes framework. You will need to repeat them for each policy area if you are creating more than one theme-based framework.

**Stage two: create an outcomes triangle and logic model**

Return to ‘how do I create my own framework’ Stage two: create an outcomes triangle and logic model

The outcomes triangle gives an overview of how archives contribute to local priorities, either overall or to a specific policy theme such as strong communities. It shows the different levels of outcome that archives can contribute towards.

The logic model illustrates the main links between service activities and local outcomes. It shows understanding of the benefits of archives to individuals, communities and places, and how these in turn contribute to the achievement of intermediate and overarching strategic outcomes.

1. Decide how to capture your thinking and decisions

Find a way to capture your thinking and decisions from each step as you go, for example on flip charts or ‘post-it' notes, into a Word document or directly into the outcomes triangle and logic model templates that are available to download.

Outcomes triangle template Logic model template

2. List your overarching and intermediate outcomes

Using the triangle template, start by identifying the overarching strategic outcomes you need to demonstrate that archives contribute towards for your chosen policy theme (or for several policy themes if you are creating a generic framework). Then identify your intermediate outcomes. Use your local strategic plan, vision statements, partnership agreements, corporate plan or other key strategic or partnership documents.

You can use the examples within this resource to give you ideas.

Definitions of overarching strategic outcomes, intermediate outcomes and service outcomes

3. List your service outcomes

Now list your service outcomes. Use your strategy, organisation business plan, department or service plans, action plans, partnership or funding agreements. You can also use the examples on this website for ideas.

4. List the activities your archive provides or supports

Transfer the different levels of outcome that archives contribute toward onto the logic model template. Now identify and group the activities you provide or support. For example, facilities, events, development and outreach work or volunteering opportunities. This does not need to be very detailed unless it is useful to you to do it that way. 5. Identify the benefits of delivering your service outcomes and the contribution to intermediate and overarching strategic outcomes

List the benefits to individuals, communities or places if you achieve your service outcomes. Then look at your local intermediate and overarching strategic outcomes and identify how or why each service outcome and the benefits contribute.

For example, if a service outcome is to get more older people involved in volunteering in archives and this is achieved, one of the benefits might be an increased understanding of local services and community issues among individual older people. This in turn will contribute to an intermediate outcome of ‘more older people playing a full part in their local community as active citizens’ and to an overarching strategic outcome that ‘older people are more physically, socially and mentally active’.

Think about where the strongest connections might be and what local or national evidence is available to support them. Use the logic model examples to give you ideas.

6. Identify and challenge your assumptions about the links between activities and service outcomes

Think about how the activities you provide or support lead to the service outcomes being achieved? Do all the activities clearly contribute to the desired service outcomes? Look at all your activities and all your service outcomes in turn. Challenge the robustness of your assumptions. Do you know of any local or national evidence to demonstrate the links?

Think about where the strongest connections might be between activities and service outcomes; there’s no need to list them all. Use the logic model examples for ideas.

7. Complete your outcomes triangle and logic model

If you have not already done so, use the lists you have developed to create your final version of an outcomes triangle and logic model. Your logic model could be in table or list form or in a diagram (as shown in the examples). If you are creating a logic model diagram, use arrows to illustrate connections between activities, outcomes and benefits. Don’t try to connect everything, be pragmatic and only draw lines between those that best illustrate the case you want to make and where the most robust evidence is available.

Repeat these steps if you are developing an outcomes framework for a number of themes.

Return to ‘how do I create my own framework’ Stage three: review the evidence

The evidence section of the framework underpins the outcomes triangle and logic model. It lists the sources of evidence that together best demonstrate the contribution of archives to the outcomes. You should use local evidence, such as research studies, evaluations, surveys and case studies, to support your outcomes triangle and logic model as long as it is robust.

You can back this up with evidence from national or international sources. You should aim to evidence the different levels of outcome and the assumptions linking them together.

1. **Decide how to capture your thinking and decisions**

Find a way to capture your thinking and decisions from each step. Use the downloadable evidence template if it helps.

Evidence template

2. **List the service outcomes and benefits, and the intermediate and overarching strategic outcomes**

Take the service, intermediate and overarching strategic outcomes from your logic model. Also list the benefits you have said arise from the achievement of the service outcomes.

3. **Identify sources of local and national evidence**

Review any local quantitative or qualitative data you have available, for example data from research studies, evaluations, and case studies.

**Quantitative data** will help you to evidence how often things occur among which segments of your audience. For example data might be drawn from questionnaires, interviews or surveys with closed or multiple choice questions.

**Qualitative data** will contribute towards a more detailed picture and may be in the form of case studies linked to a specific category of user or may represent a broad cross section of users.

Think about how well the evidence you have gathered supports the stated benefits and the outcomes that archives contribute towards? How relevant, recent and robust is it? List any local evidence you think is robust and underpins the service, intermediate and overarching strategic outcomes you have identified.

Review the national and international evidence. Look at the examples provided on this website in the evidence sections for each policy theme. Use the CASE database to search for further examples. How well does the evidence support your assumptions? How relevant, recent and robust is it? List any evidence you think is robust against each level of outcome.

4. **Review gaps in your evidence**

Review the evidence you have listed for all the benefits and outcomes in your logic model. Is there enough evidence to back up the contribution of archives to each benefit and outcome? If evidence is missing or weak, can you or a partner collect new data or commission new research to get that evidence? Remove any benefits or outcomes where you don't have enough evidence to demonstrate the contribution of archives and where you won't be able to obtain additional evidence in the near future.

If you are developing an outcomes framework for a number of policy themes, repeat these steps for each theme.

Return to ‘how do I create my own framework’ Stage four: select your performance indicators

The set of performance indicators (PIs) is how you measure the contribution of archives to local outcomes. You should identify a small number of PIs for each level of outcome (service, intermediate and overarching strategic outcome levels), as well as service output indicators.

Draw on available data from existing sources within your local council and elsewhere wherever possible.

1. **Decide how to capture your thinking and decisions** Find a way to capture your thinking and decisions from each step. Use the downloadable PIs template if it helps.

   Performance indicators template

2. **List the service, intermediate and overarching strategic outcomes** Take the service, intermediate and overarching strategic outcomes from your logic model. Also look at the benefits you have said arise from the achievement of the service outcomes.

3. **Select a basket of performance indicators** Identify a small number of PIs that you think will help measure the contribution of archives for each level of outcome (service, intermediate and overarching strategic outcome levels), as well as service output indicators.

   The PIs for the overarching strategic outcomes should be high-level non-archives indicators that you want to demonstrate, and can evidence, archives contribute towards.

   The PIs for the intermediate outcomes should include measures that reflect the specific contribution of archives to those outcomes. However, they may also include some non-archives measures that are short to medium-term proxy measures for the overarching strategic outcomes.

   The PIs for the service outcomes and outputs will be measures that are specific to archives. Look at the output and outcome indicators your organisation and partners are currently using and the examples provided on this website to help you.

   Your PIs should provide a mix of outcome-focused quantitative and qualitative data and, alongside existing management information, also enable you to demonstrate efficiency and productivity.

4. **Challenge the effectiveness of each performance indicator** Challenge the effectiveness of the indicators. Do the performance indicators you have selected show that you are delivering your service outcomes? Will they help you demonstrate the benefits of archives shown in your logic model? Do they make a meaningful contribution to demonstrating the contribution of archives to the intermediate and overarching strategic outcomes?

   Remove any Performance Indicators you don’t think are effective.

5. **Consider the data source** The PIs need to be populated with data. Consider whether there is an existing local or national data source you can use, or if a new approach is necessary. Is it relatively easy and cost effective to collect the data year-on-year? Are there simple changes that could be made to existing data collection methodologies to improve the data you have, for example, by adding questions to an existing survey? Do you want to and have the resources to commission new data collection methodologies?

Look at the section on this website on data tools and sources for suggestions of available data sources.

Remove any PIs where you think the data will be too expensive or difficult to collect.

6. Finalise your performance indicators

Produce your final list of PIs and data sources.

You may need to break down the PIs and data further to reflect local priorities, for example, by geographic area or target wards or by specific groups, such as different age groups or disadvantaged or vulnerable groups. You may also want to break down indicators further to differentiate between in-house, commissioned and external provision.

Return to ‘how do I create my own framework’ Stage five: finalise and use your framework

1. **Finalise your framework** After completing stages one to four, revisit each part of your outcomes framework.

   Check for consistency and make sure the four parts of the framework link together. Challenge whether you have robust evidence to support all the service, intermediate and overarching strategic outcomes and the benefits you identified in your logic model.

   Look at the examples on this website to identify any gaps in your approach or your framework.

   Bring together your final archives outcomes framework consisting of one or more outcomes triangle, logic model, evidence list and set of PIs.

2. **Develop and implement a plan for communicating your framework** Prepare and implement a communications plan for your framework. Think back to why you wanted to create your framework. Decide who you want to share it with internally within your own department and outside among officers and councillors or board members, and externally.

   For more information on developing communications to promote your service see [Effective Communications: Raising the profile of your archive service](#).

   Think about what you need to share with them. Is it the whole framework or just parts of it? For example, councillors might find the overview given by the outcomes triangle helpful, whereas service commissioners might value the logic model showing the links between what you do, the benefits and the intermediate or overarching strategic outcomes.

   If you are willing to share what you have done with others, send your outcomes framework to [The National Archives](#) for inclusion as an example on this website.

3. **Encourage others to develop an outcomes framework** Talk to your key partners and encourage them to adopt the same or a similar outcomes framework.

4. **Plan a review of your framework** Review your framework at least once a year to ensure it is still relevant and focused on the right priorities.

   [Examples of local outcomes frameworks](#)

   Return to ‘[how do I create my own framework](#)’ Data tools and sources

This section signposts you to sources of data that may help populate your performance indicators and evidence lists and guidance on how to collect robust data on the contribution of archives to non-cultural and sporting outcomes.

- **Archives & Records Association**, UK & Ireland: useful publications, including the [Survey of Visitors to UK Archives 2012](#).
- Archives & Records Association, Public Service Quality Group, [Distance Enquiry Survey National Report 2012](#).
- **The Chartered Institute of Public Finance & Accountancy** (CIPFA): provides statistics and research on a range of issues such as service usage, service costs, customer satisfaction and policy development, and is used as a resource across the public sector.
- **The Culture and Sport Evidence Programme (CASE)**: including
  - [CASE database](#) – an online, searchable database that includes studies with relevance to archives.
  - [Drivers, impacts and value work](#) - research and evidence on what drives people to engage in culture and sport and the impacts of engagement.
  - [Local Culture and Heritage Profile tool](#), which provides data to help you think how to invest in culture and heritage locally.
  - [Regional and local insights data](#) including investment, tourism, education, community and well-being data.
- Department for Culture, Media and Sport, [Taking Part survey](#): provides annual data for children and both annual and quarterly data for adults and a quarterly statistical release.
- **Archive Service Accreditation** - guidance includes lots of useful advice, in particular Section 3 Stakeholders and their Experience.
- Key sector statistics from [The National Archives](#).
- Guidance on how to measure the economic value of volunteering on the [Volunteer England](#) website.

Return to ‘how do I create my own framework’ Guidance on data collection

Data collection methods Guidance on data collection methods aimed at students, but providing some sound general advice.

Data collection methods – on the University of Sheffield website

Generic learning and social outcomes Web-based guidance and practical tools to help capture and evidence the impact of museums, libraries and archives, by identifying generic learning and social outcomes for individuals and communities.

Generic learning and social outcomes – on the Inspired Learning (MLA) website

Liverpool Impacts 08 research Example of an approach to research and data collection from the European Culture of Capital Research Programme Impacts 08.

Impacts 08 research – on the University of Liverpool website

Measuring social outcomes toolkit Web-based guide that introduces the concept and language of evaluation and measuring social outcomes and provides a practical toolkit, evolved from the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council Generic Social Outcomes Framework.

Measuring Social Outcomes Toolkit – on the London Cultural Improvement Programme website

Measuring economic impact Archives Libraries & Museums Alliance UK toolkits, developed to help archives, museums and libraries create transparent, locally-relevant impact reports capable of withstanding economists’ scrutiny.

Impact toolkit for archives and museums – on the ALMAUK website Examples

To get you started we’ve devised some examples – including a generic approach and some theme-based outcomes frameworks linked to common policy areas. All of the examples include an outcomes triangle, logic model, evidence list and set of performance indicators.

You don’t need to be constrained by them; you can refer to the examples as much or as little as you want and adapt the framework to suit your local priorities.

Click on the links below for ideas to help develop an outcomes framework for your archive service.

Generic

Health and well-being

Stronger and safer Communities

Learning and education Generic

Use a generic framework to give a broad overview of how archives contribute to local priorities and cover a number of policy themes such as children and young people, the economy, the environment, older people, health and wellbeing, stronger, safer communities and learning.

This is a good approach if you want to capture the totality of your service’s contribution.

Ideally your outcomes framework will consist of four elements:

- Outcomes triangle
- Logic model
- Evidence
- Performance indicators

Outcomes triangle

The outcomes triangle gives an overview of how archives can contribute at service, intermediate and overarching strategic outcome levels.

Outcomes triangle: generic

What is an outcomes triangle?

A step by step guide to creating an outcomes triangle and logic model

Logic model

The logic model illustrates the main links between service activities and local outcomes. This example suggest broad groupings of activities, benefits archives can offer to individuals, communities and places, and how these in turn contribute to the achievement of intermediate and overarching strategic outcomes.

Logic model: generic

What is a logic model?

A step by step guide to creating an outcomes triangle and logic model Evidence

The evidence section of the framework underpins the outcomes triangle and logic model. It lists the sources of evidence that together best demonstrate the contribution of archives to the outcomes.

We have identified some examples of validated national and international evidence that best demonstrate the contribution of archives to the outcomes.

Generic: evidence list

A step-by-step guide to reviewing the evidence

Performance indicators

The set of performance indicators is how you measure the contribution of archives to local outcomes. This example suggests performance indicators to help you select a range of indicators appropriate to your own area, using a ‘pick-and-mix’ approach.

Generic: performance indicators

A step-by-step guide to selecting performance indicators

Return to ‘Examples of Outcome Frameworks’ Evidence for contribution of archives to generic themes

This is a list of validated national and international evidence that may support your generic outcomes triangle and logic model and illustrate the contribution across a number of themes.

Not all of these examples will be relevant to your local outcomes. As you develop your framework you should select local and national evidence that best demonstrates the contribution of archives to your service, intermediate and overarching strategic outcomes.

You can also search for additional evidence on the CASE database – which includes over 12,000 studies on engagement in culture and sport, in an online, searchable database. There are a number of studies relevant to archives, so it can help underpin your outcomes framework with validated national and international evidence from published research.

| Title and description | Publication details | |-----------------------|---------------------| | ‘The Economic Impact of the UK Heritage Tourism Economy’ | Oxford Economics, 2013 | | This study examines gives an indication of the scale of the gross economic impact of heritage tourism in the UK in terms of visit numbers, visit spend, employment and GDP. Then, comparisons are made with other sectors of the UK economy. | | | The Economic Impact of the UK Heritage Tourism Economy on the Heritage Lottery Fund website | | | ‘Wellbeing and civil society’ | Department for Work and Pensions, 2013 | | Estimating the value of volunteering using subjective wellbeing data. The Wellbeing Valuation (WV) approach estimates the increase in wellbeing associated with a particular service and then calculates the equivalent amount of money necessary to give the same boost to well-being. | | | Wellbeing and civil society – on the Government website | | | ‘House of Memories’ | National Museums Liverpool, 2012 | | Evaluation report of a programme built around the objects and archives within National Museums Liverpool. Funded by the Department of Health, the approach aimed to support people living with dementia, enhancing their wellbeing and quality of life, as a potential alternative to medication. | | | House of Memories – on Liverpool Museums website | | | ‘Learning Revolution: Festival of Learning’ | Museums Libraries and Archives (MLA), 2010 | | Report on a programme targeting general adult learners aged 19+ with specific informal adult learning activities to appeal to older adults (over 65) and local target groups from defined areas of social or economic deprivation. Some evidence of success in motivating individuals to want to continue learning. | | | Learning Revolution: Festival of Learning - on The National Archives website | | | Title | Source | |----------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------| | ‘Building a society for all ages: benefits for older people from learning in museums, libraries and archives’ | NIACE/MLA, 2009 | | Research exploring some of the benefits that museums, libraries and archives can deliver for older people. | | | **Building a society for all ages** – on The National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) | | | ‘Volunteering in archives’ | National Council on Archives, 2009 | | Research highlighting some of the benefits to archive services and to individuals of volunteering in archives, including increased knowledge and skills and social benefits. | | | **Volunteering in archives** – on the Archives and Records Association website | | | ‘Community archives and the sustainable communities agenda’ | Museums Libraries and Archives (MLA), 2009 | | Research that aims to establish ways in which community archives can support communities that are experiencing growth and regeneration. | | | **Community archives and the sustainable communities agenda** - on The National Archives website | | | ‘The role of archives within tourism’ | Museums Libraries and Archives (MLA) North East, 2007 | | Research that shows archives and archive organizations feature strongly in tourism marketing campaigns and can be used for positioning purposes as part of the general ‘heritage’ draw. | | | **The role of archives within tourism** - on The National Archives website | | | ‘Impact of museums libraries and archives on children and young people (Draft)’ | Museums Libraries and Archives (MLA) North West, 2006 | | Whilst reference is made to the now obsolete Every Child Matters outcomes, the review is set within the context of how the archives sector makes a holistic contribution to improving the life chances of children and young people and therefore still has some relevance. | | | **Impact of museums libraries and archives on children and young people (Draft)** - on The National Archives website | | | ‘South West Museums Archives and Libraries - social impact audit’ | South West Museums Libraries & Archives Council, 2002 | | The aim of this study was to assess the collaborative impact of archives, libraries and museums in terms of promoting social cohesion, fostering social inclusion and encouraging lifelong learning. | | | **South West Museums Archives and Libraries - social impact audit** On the University of Sheffield website | | Performance indicators

These are suggestions of how to measure the contribution of archives to better outcomes across a number of policy themes. Additional examples of performance indicators are available in each of the specific themes.

Not all of these suggestions will be relevant to your local outcomes. You should select a small number of indicators from across the different levels that together best measure the contribution of archives to your service, intermediate and overarching strategic outcomes.

You should draw on available data from existing sources within your local council or organisation and elsewhere wherever possible.

A step-by-step guide to selecting performance indicators

Overarching strategic outcome indicators

These are high-level non-archive indicators that you want to demonstrate, and can evidence that archives contribute towards. Your overarching strategic outcome indicators should reflect those found in high level documents that set out the overall responsibilities of your local council and its major partners.

Examples include:

- Overall employment rate
- Percentage of small businesses in an area showing employment growth
- Percentage of 16 to 18-year-olds who are not in education, training or employment
- Overall or general satisfaction with local area
- Percentage of local authority budgets delegated to local decision making
- Percentage of people who believe people from different backgrounds get on well together in their local area
- Perceptions of anti-social behaviour
- All age all cause mortality rate
- Rates of avoidable diseases that are the major causes of ill-health and premature death
- Percentage of older people who feel the contribution they make to their local community is valued
- Social care-related quality of life
- Per capita reduction in CO2 emissions in the local authority area

Some of these indicators may be drawn from non-council data sources.

Intermediate outcome indicators

These should include indicators that reflect the specific contribution of archives to the intermediate outcomes.

Examples include:

- Number of full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs supported by the archive visitor economy
- Percentage of:
- young people and adults who agree that participating, volunteering or training opportunities in archive services, projects, activities or events helped them get into or stay in education, training or employment
- children and young people who agree that participation in an archives project, activity or event has given them the opportunity to demonstrate their talents and skills, or helped them feel more confident or positive about themselves
- participants who agree that participation in an archive project, activity or event has made them more likely to lead a healthier lifestyle
- participants who agree that participation in an archive project, activity or event has helped them increase their understanding of how to improve their health or exercise patient choice
- participants who agree that participation in an archive project, activity or event has improved their mental well-being or sense of identity
- participants who agree that participation in an archive project, activity or event has helped increase their understanding of how they can influence decisions in their neighbourhood or get involved in local decision making
- participants who agree that participation in an archive project, activity or event has helped them meet and mix with local people or make them feel part of their community
- children and young people who agree that participation in an archive project, activity or event has helped them do something positive in their free time or stay out of trouble
- residents satisfied with their built environment
- local archive assets and facilities run by local community organisations

Intermediate outcome indicators may also include non-archive indicators that are short to medium term ‘proxy’ measures for the overarching strategic outcomes.

Examples include:

- Growth in tourism per year and visitor spend (£ million)
- Percentage of young people participating in positive activities
- Percentage of young people, adults or older people participating in social action or regular volunteering
- Number of new mutuals and cooperatives created to deliver public services
- Number of community organisers trained
- Social connectedness Service outcome indicators

These are indicators specific to archives.

Examples include percentage of:

- children and young people, adults or older people accessing the archive
- participants who agree that participation in an archive project or event has been enjoyable
- children and young people, adults or older people regularly volunteering in the archive
- children and young people, adults or older users satisfied with the archive provision in their local area
- residents who agree they have influenced archive provision in their area
- residents who agree that archive provision, activities or events have increased their understanding of the local heritage
- archive facilities and services achieving nationally or internationally recognised design or environmental sustainability awards
- increase in jobs in the heritage economy
- tourists who include archive facilities or events among their reasons for visiting

Number of:

- participants who agree that participation in an archive project, activity or event has contributed to the survival and/or accessibility of local heritage
- participants who agree that participation in an archive project, activity or event has increased their involvement in their local heritage

Where possible indicators should be broken down further, for example, by geographic area or target wards or by specific groups, including different age groups or disadvantaged and or vulnerable groups. Indicators can also be broken down to differentiate in-house, commissioned or external.

Service output indicators

These indicators are also specific to archives.

Examples include:

- Number in employment, education or training with the archive service

- Number of:

  - young people and adults or older people participating in archive activities, project or events
  - visits or participants in the archive offer (per 1,000 population)
  - children and young people participating in archive activities during the school holidays
  - young people at risk of offending engaged in positive activities through the archive
  - young people, adults or older people participating in archive outreach activities
  - young people, adults or older people regularly volunteering in the archive
  - young people, adults or older people gaining a recognised accreditation or qualification as a result of the archive service
  - young people, adults or older people participating in or completing health-related archive activity programmes

- people accessing an educational online resource

- people accessing the archive service for the first time

- local civil society archive organisations supported to gain skills

- Number of uses of the archive as a venue for community activities

- % of visitors making repeat visits/use of the archive service

- Energy efficiency ratings of archive facilities

- Net expenditure on archive provision per head of population.

Where possible, indicators should be broken down further, for example, by geographic area or target wards or by specific groups, including different age groups or disadvantaged and or vulnerable groups.

Indicators can also be broken down to differentiate in-house, commissioned or external.

Return to ‘Examples of Outcome Frameworks’ Health & well-being

The following examples suggest ideas to help you create an archives outcomes framework for health and wellbeing. You don't need to be constrained by them; you can refer to the examples as much or as little as you want and adapt the framework.

Your framework will be able to:

- Contribute to the requirements of the Public Health Outcomes Framework, which sets out the desired outcomes for public health and how these will be measured.
- Support the joint strategic needs assessment. Upper tier and unitary authorities have a responsibility to improve the health of the population and are required to produce a joint strategic needs assessment (JSNA) of the health and wellbeing of their local community.
- Link to the joint health and wellbeing strategy. The JSNA is underpinned by a joint health and wellbeing strategy that sets out the priorities for collective action.

Ideally your outcomes framework will consist of four elements:

- Outcomes triangle
- Logic model
- Evidence
- Performance indicators

Outcomes triangle

The outcomes triangle gives an overview of how archives can contribute at service, intermediate and overarching strategic outcome levels.

Outcomes triangle: health and wellbeing

What is an outcomes triangle?

A step by step guide to creating an outcomes triangle and logic model

Logic model

The logic model illustrates the main links between service activities and local outcomes. This example suggest broad groupings of activities, benefits archives can offer to individuals, communities and places, and how these in turn contribute to the achievement of intermediate and overarching strategic outcomes.

Logic model: health and wellbeing

What is a logic model?

A step by step guide to creating an outcomes triangle and logic model Evidence

The evidence section of the framework underpins the outcomes triangle and logic model. It lists the sources of evidence that together best demonstrate the contribution of archives to the outcomes.

We have identified some examples of validated national and international evidence that best demonstrate the contribution of archives to the outcomes.

Health and wellbeing : evidence list

A step-by-step guide to reviewing the evidence

Performance indicators

The set of performance indicators is how you measure the contribution of archives to local outcomes. This example suggests performance indicators to help you select a range of indicators appropriate to your own area, using a ‘pick-and-mix’ approach.

Health and wellbeing : performance indicators

A step-by-step guide to selecting performance indicators

Evidence for contribution of archives to health and wellbeing

This is a list of validated national and international evidence that may support your health and wellbeing outcomes triangle and logic model.

Not all of these examples will be relevant to your local outcomes. As you develop your framework you should select local and national evidence that best demonstrates the contribution of archives to your service, intermediate and overarching strategic outcomes.

You can also search for additional evidence on the CASE database – which includes over 12,000 studies on engagement in culture and sport, in an online, searchable database. There are a number of studies relevant to archives, so it can help underpin your outcomes framework with validated national and international evidence from published research.

| Title and description | Publication details | |-----------------------|---------------------| | ‘Wellbeing and civil society’ | Department for Work and Pensions, 2013 | | Estimating the value of volunteering using subjective wellbeing data. The Wellbeing Valuation (WV) approach estimates the increase in wellbeing associated with a particular service and then calculates the equivalent amount of money necessary to give the same boost to well-being. | | | Wellbeing and civil society – on the Government website | | | ‘Doing good is good for you’ | United Health Group, 2013 | A study involving a representative sample of adults across the United States: young, old, in good health and in poor health. Data suggest that older individuals and those who suffer from multiple chronic conditions taking on volunteering, feel better as a result.

**Doing good is good for you** – on the United Health Group website

‘House of Memories’

Evaluation report of a programme built around the objects and archives within National Museums Liverpool. Funded by the Department of Health, the approach aimed to support people living with dementia, enhancing their wellbeing and quality of life, as a potential alternative to medication.

**House of Memories** – on Liverpool Museums website

‘The interaction between culture, health and psychological well-being: data mining from the Italian culture and well-being project’

The data for this study came from a survey of a representative sample of 1,500 Italian adults that measured the wellbeing of respondents, along with how much cultural activity they had undertaken.

The report concludes that the wellbeing benefits of cultural engagement come from the social aspects.

**The interaction between culture, health and psychological well-being: data mining from the Italian culture and well-being project** – on the CultureCase website

‘The impact of volunteering on well-being in later life’

Using data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, this report describes the rationale and methods for, and findings and conclusions from, a study examining the relationship between volunteering and well-being in later life.

**The impact of volunteering on well-being in later life** – on the Royal Voluntary service website

'Building a society for all ages: benefits for older people from learning in museums, libraries and archives'

Research exploring some of the benefits that museums, libraries and archives can deliver for older people.

**Building a society for all ages** – on The National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE)

‘Impact of museums libraries and archives on children and young people (Draft)’

Whilst reference is made to the now obsolete Every Child Matter outcomes, the review is set within the context of how the archives sector makes a holistic contribution to improving the life chances of children and young people and therefore still has some relevance.

**Impact of museums libraries and archives on children and young people (Draft)** - on The National Archives website Performance indicators

These are suggestions of how to measure the contribution of archives to better health and wellbeing outcomes.

Not all of these suggestions will be relevant to your local outcomes. You should select a small number of indicators from across the different levels that together best measure the contribution of archives to your service, intermediate and overarching strategic outcomes.

You should draw on available data from existing sources within your local council or organisation and elsewhere wherever possible.

The Public Health Outcomes Framework was published in January 2012. It sets out a vision and high level outcomes to improve and protect the nation's health; this includes the factors that contribute to healthy life expectancy, which include mental wellbeing.

The framework is underpinned by a set of 60 performance indicators from which local authorities and their partners can select when undertaking joint strategic needs assessments (JSNAs) and developing joint health and wellbeing strategies.

Public Health Outcomes Framework for England 2013-2016 – on the .GOV.UK Website

A step-by-step guide to selecting performance indicators

Overarching strategic outcome indicators

These are high-level non-archive indicators that you want to demonstrate, and can evidence that archives contribute towards. Your overarching strategic outcome indicators should reflect those found in high level documents that set out the overall responsibilities of your local council and its major partners.

Examples include:

- Self-reported wellbeing (based on seven-point scale of mental wellbeing)
- Health related quality of life for older people
- Employment for those with a long-term health condition including those with a learning difficulty/disability or mental illness.

Some of these indicators are drawn from the Public Health Outcomes Framework

Intermediate outcome indicators

These should include indicators that reflect the specific contribution of archives to the intermediate outcomes.

Examples include:

- participants who agree that participation in an archive project, activity or event has made them more likely to lead a healthier lifestyle o participants who agree that participation in an archive project, activity or event has helped them increase their understanding of how to improve their health or exercise patient choice o participants who agree that participation in an archive project, activity or event has helped them manage their health condition o participants who agree that participation in an archive project, activity or event has improved their mental well-being or sense of identity o participants who agree that participation in an archive project, activity or event has helped them meet and mix with local people or make them feel part of their community

**Service outcome indicators**

These are indicators specific to archives. Examples include percentage of:

- participants who agree that participation in an archive project or event has been enjoyable
- children and young people, adults or older people volunteering in the archive

Where possible indicators should be broken down further, for example people at risk of or recovering from specific health conditions, people with a disability or limiting illness and other disadvantaged and or vulnerable groups. Indicators can also be broken down to differentiate in-house, commissioned or external.

**Service output indicators**

These indicators are also specific to archives. Examples include:

- Number of:
  - young people and adults or older people participating in archive activities, project or events
  - visits or participants in the archive offer (per 1,000 population)
  - children and young people participating in archive activities during the school holidays
  - young people, adults or older people regularly volunteering in the archive
  - young people, adults or older people participating in or completing health-related archive activity programmes
  - new partnerships/projects developed specifically to provide health and wellbeing outcomes

Where possible, indicators should be broken down further, for example, by geographic area or target wards or by specific groups, including different age groups or disadvantaged and or vulnerable groups such as those with long-term health conditions, learning difficulty /disability or mental illness.

Indicators can also be broken down to differentiate in-house, commissioned or external. Stronger and safer

The following examples suggest ideas to help you create an archives outcomes framework for stronger and safer communities. Don't be constrained by them; you can refer to the examples as much or as little as you want.

Ideally your outcomes framework will consist of four elements:

- Outcomes triangle
- Logic model
- Evidence
- Performance indicators

Outcomes triangle

The outcomes triangle gives an overview of how archives can contribute at service, intermediate and overarching strategic outcome levels.

Outcomes triangle: stronger and safer

What is an outcomes triangle?

A step by step guide to creating an outcomes triangle and logic model

Logic model

The logic model illustrates the main links between service activities and local outcomes. This example suggest broad groupings of activities, benefits archives can offer to individuals, communities and places, and how these in turn contribute to the achievement of intermediate and overarching strategic outcomes.

Logic model: stronger and safer

What is a logic model?

A step by step guide to creating an outcomes triangle and logic model

Evidence

The evidence section of the framework underpins the outcomes triangle and logic model. It lists the sources of evidence that together best demonstrate the contribution of archives to the outcomes.

We have identified some examples of validated national and international evidence that best demonstrate the contribution of archives to the outcomes.

Stronger and safer : evidence list

A step-by-step guide to reviewing the evidence Performance indicators

The set of performance indicators is how you measure the contribution of archives to local outcomes. This example suggests performance indicators to help you select a range of indicators appropriate to your own area, using a ‘pick-and-mix’ approach.

Stronger and safer : performance indicators

A step-by-step guide to selecting performance indicators Evidence for contribution of archives to stronger and safer communities

This is a list of validated national and international evidence that may support your stronger and safer outcomes triangle and logic model.

Not all of these examples will be relevant to your local outcomes. As you develop your framework you should select local and national evidence that best demonstrates the contribution of archives to your service, intermediate and overarching strategic outcomes.

You can also search for additional evidence on the CASE database – which includes over 12,000 studies on engagement in culture and sport, in an online, searchable database. There are a number of studies relevant to archives, so it can help underpin your outcomes framework with validated national and international evidence from published research.

| Title and description | Publication details | |-----------------------|---------------------| | ‘The Economic Impact of the UK Heritage Tourism Economy’ | Oxford Economics, 2013 | | This study examines gives an indication of the scale of the gross economic impact of heritage tourism in the UK in terms of visit numbers, visit spend, employment and GDP. Then, comparisons are made with other sectors of the UK economy. | | | The Economic Impact of the UK Heritage Tourism Economy on the Heritage Lottery Fund website | | | ‘Deloitte Volunteer IMPACT research’ | Deloitte, 2013 | | Results indicate that skills-based volunteering experience provides a marketability edge for those seeking gainful employment. The findings support the value HR executives place on skilled volunteering, as well as its relevance for college graduates and veterans transitioning to civilian life. | | | Deloitte Volunteer IMPACT research on the Deloitte website | | | ‘Learning Revolution: Festival of Learning’ | Museums Libraries and Archives (MLA), 2010 | | Report on a programme targeting general adult learners aged 19+ with specific informal adult learning activities to appeal to older adults (over 65) and local target groups from defined areas of social or economic deprivation. Some evidence of success in motivating individuals to want to continue learning. | | | Learning Revolution: Festival of Learning - on The National Archives website | | | 'Building a society for all ages: benefits for older people from learning in museums, libraries and archives' | NIACE/MLA, 2009 | | Research exploring some of the benefits that museums, libraries and archives can deliver for older people. | | | Building a society for all ages – on The National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) | | | Title | Source | |----------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------| | ‘Volunteering in archives’ | National Council on Archives, 2009 | | Research highlighting some of the benefits to archive services and to | | | individuals of volunteering in archives, including increased knowledge | | | and skills and social benefits. | | | **Volunteering in archives** – on the Archives and Records Association | | | website | | | ‘Community archives and the sustainable communities agenda’ | Museums Libraries and Archives (MLA), 2009 | | Although this research is set within the context of now obsolete central | | | government policy, it illustrates ways in which community archives can | | | support communities that are experiencing growth and regeneration. | | | **Community archives and the sustainable communities agenda** - on The | | | National Archives website | | | ‘The value of museums, libraries and archives to community agendas’ | Museums Libraries and Archives (MLA) South East, 2008 | | This document brings together examples and evidence of the contribution | | | to a number of themes including stronger and safer communities. | | | **The value of museums, libraries and archives to community agendas** | | | - on The National Archives website | | | ‘Assessment of the contribution of museums, libraries and archives to | Museums Libraries and Archives (MLA) South East, 2008 | | the visitor economy’ | | | The study seeks to explore the role the sector plays in the wider visitor | | | economy and quantify the economic value of the museums, libraries | | | and archives sector. | | | **Assessment of the contribution of museums, libraries and archives to** | | | the visitor economy – on The National Archives website | | | ‘The role of archives within tourism’ | Museums Libraries and Archives (MLA) North East, 2007 | | Research that shows archives, and archive organizations, are feature | | | strongly in tourism marketing campaigns and can be used for | | | positioning purposes as part of the general ‘heritage’ draw. | | | **The role of archives within tourism** – on The National Archives | | | website | | | ‘Impact of museums libraries and archives on children and young | Museums Libraries and Archives (MLA) North West, 2006 | | people (Draft)’ | | | Whilst reference is made to the now obsolete Every Child Matter | | | outcomes, the review is set within the context of how the archives | | | sector makes a holistic contribution to improving the life chances of | | | children and young people and therefore still has some relevance. | | | \*\*Impact of museums libraries and archives on children and young | | | people (Draft) - on The National Archives website | | | people (Draft)’ | | | ‘Recondita armonia: a reflection on the function of culture in building | Council Of Europe, 2006 | | citizenship capacity' | | | Study exploring how cultural participation contributes to building | | | citizenship capacity and social cohesion. The social impact of culture | | | is that it enhances social understanding, strengthens the sense of | | identity, builds social cohesion and contributes to community development and civic participation. These effects taken together allow the members of society to take full and effective part in the life and governance of their nations.

Recondita armonia – on the Basque Observatory of Culture website

‘South West Museums Archives and Libraries - social impact audit’

The aim of this study was to assess the collaborative impact of archives, libraries and museums in terms of promoting social cohesion, fostering social inclusion and encouraging lifelong learning.

South West Museums Archives and Libraries - social impact audit On the University of Sheffield website

Performance indicators

These are suggestions of how to measure the contribution of archives to stronger and safer community outcomes.

Not all of these suggestions will be relevant to your local outcomes. You should select a small number of indicators from across the different levels that together best measure the contribution of archives to your service, intermediate and overarching strategic outcomes.

You should draw on available data from existing sources within your local council or organisation and elsewhere wherever possible.

A step-by-step guide to selecting performance indicators

Overarching strategic outcome indicators

These are high-level non-archive indicators that you want to demonstrate, and can evidence that archives contribute towards. Your overarching strategic outcome indicators should reflect those found in high level documents that set out the overall responsibilities of your local council and its major partners.

Examples include:

- Percentage of local authority budgets delegated to local decision making
- Percentage of people involved in social action in their community
- Percentage of people who feel they can influence decisions in their local area
- Overall and or general satisfaction with local area
- Percentage of people who believe people from different backgrounds get on well together in their local area
- Levels of anti-social behaviour
- Percentage of juvenile offenders re-offending and frequency of re-offending per 100 offenders
- Re-offending rate of prolific and other priority offenders
- Number of first time entrants to the criminal justice system aged 10 to 17
- Overall crime rates Some of these indicators may be drawn from non-council data sources.

**Intermediate outcome indicators**

These should include indicators that reflect the specific contribution of archives to the intermediate outcomes.

Examples include:

- Number of full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs supported by the archive visitor economy
- Number of local archive assets and facilities run by local community organisations
- Number of people who think that the archive helps make their local area a nicer place to live and or contributes to local identity and pride

Percentage of participants who agree that:

- participation in an archives project, activity or event has helped make them feel part of their community
- participation in an archives project, activity or event has helped improve their confidence, self-esteem, communication or social skills
- participation in an archives project, activity or event has encouraged people to respect and trust each other or have more respect for their area
- participation in an archives project, activity or event has helped build positive relationships between local people
- participation in an archives project, activity or event has helped increase their understanding of how they can influence decisions in their neighbourhood or get involved in local decision making
- participation in an archives project, activity or event has made them want to get more involved in community social action or volunteering
- children and young people who agree that participation in an archive project, activity or event has helped them do something positive in their free time or stay out of trouble
- % residents satisfied with their built environment

Intermediate outcome indicators may also include non-archive indicators that are short to medium term ‘proxy’ measures for the overarching strategic outcomes.

Examples include:

- Growth in tourism per year and visitor spend (£ million)
- Percentage of young people participating in positive activities
- Percentage of young people, adults or older people participating in social action or regular volunteering
- Social connectedness Service outcome indicators

These are indicators specific to archives.

Examples include percentage of:

- children and young people, adults or older people accessing the archive
- participants who agree that participation in an archive project or event has been enjoyable
- children and young people, adults or older people regularly volunteering in the archive
- children and young people, adults or older users satisfied with the archive provision in their local area
- residents who agree they have influenced archive provision in their area
- residents who agree that archive provision, activities or events have increased their understanding of the local heritage
- archive facilities and services achieving nationally or internationally recognised design or environmental sustainability awards
- increase in jobs in the heritage economy
- tourists who include archive facilities or events among their reasons for visiting

Number of:

- participants who agree that participation in an archive project, activity or event has contributed to the survival and/or accessibility of local heritage
- participants who agree that participation in an archive project, activity or event has increased their involvement in their local heritage

Where possible indicators should be broken down further, for example, by geographic area or target wards or by specific groups, including different age groups or disadvantaged and or vulnerable groups. Indicators can also be broken down to differentiate in-house, commissioned or external.

Service output indicators

These indicators are also specific to archives.

Examples include:

- Number of:
  - young people and adults or older people participating in archive activities, project or events
  - visits or participants in the archive offer (per 1,000 population)
  - children and young people participating in archive activities during the school holidays
  - young people at risk of offending engaged in positive activities through the archive
  - young people, adults or older people participating in archive outreach activities
  - young people, adults or older people regularly volunteering in the archive
  - people accessing the archive service for the first time
  - local civil society archive organisations supported to gain skills
- Number of uses of the archive as a venue for community activities
- % of visitors making repeat visits/use of the archive service
- Net expenditure on archive provision per head of population.
- Percentage of the population living within 'x' miles radius of archive facilities
- Archive services achieving accreditation standards
- % users satisfied with archive facilities, services or events
- Comparability of facilities, activities or events user profiles with resident profiles

Where possible, indicators should be broken down further, for example, by geographic area or target wards or by specific groups, including different age groups or disadvantaged and or vulnerable groups.

Indicators can also be broken down to differentiate in-house, commissioned or external. Learning & education

The following examples suggest ideas to help you create an archives outcomes framework to illustrate the contribution to learning and education. Don't be constrained by them; you can refer to the examples as much or as little as you want.

Ideally your outcomes framework will consist of four elements:

- Outcomes triangle
- Logic model
- Evidence
- Performance indicators

Outcomes triangle

The outcomes triangle gives an overview of how archives can contribute at service, intermediate and overarching strategic outcome levels.

Outcomes triangle: learning and education

What is an outcomes triangle?

A step by step guide to creating an outcomes triangle and logic model

Logic model

The logic model illustrates the main links between service activities and local outcomes. This example suggest broad groupings of activities, benefits archives can offer to individuals, communities and places, and how these in turn contribute to the achievement of intermediate and overarching strategic outcomes.

Logic model: learning and education

What is a logic model?

A step by step guide to creating an outcomes triangle and logic model

Evidence

The evidence section of the framework underpins the outcomes triangle and logic model. It lists the sources of evidence that together best demonstrate the contribution of archives to the outcomes.

We have identified some examples of validated national and international evidence that best demonstrate the contribution of archives to the outcomes.

Learning and education : evidence list

A step-by-step guide to reviewing the evidence Performance indicators

The set of performance indicators is how you measure the contribution of archives to local outcomes. This example suggests performance indicators to help you select a range of indicators appropriate to your own area, using a ‘pick-and-mix’ approach.

Learning and education: performance indicators

A step-by-step guide to selecting performance indicators

Evidence for contribution of archives to learning and education

This is a list of validated national and international evidence that may support your learning and education outcomes triangle and logic model.

Not all of these examples will be relevant to your local outcomes. As you develop your framework you should select local and national evidence that best demonstrates the contribution of archives to your service, intermediate and overarching strategic outcomes.

You can also search for additional evidence on the CASE database – which includes over 12,000 studies on engagement in culture and sport, in an online, searchable database. There are a number of studies relevant to archives, so it can help underpin your outcomes framework with validated national and international evidence from published research.

| Title and description | Publication details | |-----------------------|---------------------| | ‘Building Pathways to Working with Collections: Can Internships and Student Work Experience Help?’ | Australian Academic & Research Libraries, 2011 | | This paper reports on a qualitative research study about the initial professional learning experiences of individuals newly recruited by collecting institutions such as archives, galleries, libraries, and museums. | | | Building Pathways to Working with Collections: Can Internships and Student Work Experience Help? – on the Institute of Education Science website | | | ‘Archives, Heritage, and Communities’ | Historical Reflections Journal, 2011 | | This article presents two case studies, from Scottish communities' engagement with archives and their attitudes toward heritage. It points to wider opportunities for historical interpretation, teaching, learning, and research. | | | Archives, Heritage, and Communities – on the University of Aberdeen website | | | ‘Learning Revolution: Festival of Learning’ | Museums Libraries and Archives (MLA), 2010 | | Report on a programme targeting general adult learners aged 19+ | | with specific informal adult learning activities to appeal to older adults (over 65) and local target groups from defined areas of social or economic deprivation. Some evidence of success in motivating individuals to want to continue learning.

**Learning Revolution: Festival of Learning** - on The National Archives website

"It Makes History Alive for Them": The Role of Archivists and Special Collections Librarians in Instructing Undergraduates

This study explores the educational role of archivists and special collections librarians in providing instructional services aimed at undergraduate students.

"It Makes History Alive for Them": The Role of Archivists and Special Collections Librarians in Instructing Undergraduates - on the Institute of Education Science website

'BUILDING A SOCIETY FOR ALL AGES: BENEFITS FOR OLDER PEOPLE FROM LEARNING IN MUSEUMS, LIBRARIES AND ARCHIVES'

Research exploring some of the benefits that museums, libraries and archives can deliver for older people.

**Building a society for all ages** – on The National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE)

'Volunteering in archives'

Research highlighting some of the benefits to archive services and to individuals of volunteering in archives, including increased knowledge and skills and social benefits.

**Volunteering in archives** – on the Archives and Records Association website

‘IMPACT OF MUSEUMS LIBRARIES AND ARCHIVES ON CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE (DRAFT)’

Whilst reference is made to the now obsolete Every Child Matter outcomes, the review is set within the context of how the archives sector makes a holistic contribution to improving the life chances of children and young people and therefore still has some relevance.

**Impact of museums libraries and archives on children and young people (Draft)** - on The National Archives website

‘RELEVANT REPOSITORIES OF PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE? - LIBRARIES, MUSEUMS AND ARCHIVES IN ‘THE INFORMATION AGE’

This research examined the perceived contemporary relevance of archives, libraries and museums. On the basis of the evidence, the authors argue that museums, libraries and archives are still regarded as relevant repositories of public knowledge.

‘Relevant repositories of public knowledge? - Libraries, museums and archives in ‘the information age’ – on the University of Sheffield website | ‘The Use of Archives in Secondary Schools’ | Museums Libraries and Archives (MLA) East Midlands, 2003 | |------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------| | Evaluation of a project to promote access to archives by learning and educational communities within the East Midlands, and to develop the use of archive resources for educational purposes. | | | **The Use of Archives in Secondary Schools** – on the The National Archives website | |

| ‘South West Museums Archives and Libraries - social impact audit’ | South West Museums Libraries & Archives Council, 2002 | |-----------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------| | The aim of this study was to assess the collaborative impact of archives, libraries and museums in terms of promoting social cohesion, fostering social inclusion and encouraging lifelong learning. | | | **South West Museums Archives and Libraries - social impact audit** On the University of Sheffield website | | Performance indicators

These are suggestions of how to measure the contribution of archives to learning and education outcomes.

Not all of these suggestions will be relevant to your local outcomes. You should select a small number of indicators from across the different levels that together best measure the contribution of archives to your service, intermediate and overarching strategic outcomes.

You should draw on available data from existing sources within your local council or organisation and elsewhere wherever possible.

A step-by-step guide to selecting performance indicators

Overarching strategic outcome indicators

These are high-level non-archive indicators that you want to demonstrate, and can evidence that archives contribute towards. Your overarching strategic outcome indicators should reflect those found in high level documents that set out the overall responsibilities of your local council and its major partners.

Examples include:

- Overall employment rate
- Percentage of 16 to 18-year-olds who are not in education, training or employment
- Attainment at ages 16 and 19
- Self-reported wellbeing (based on seven-point scale of mental wellbeing)
- Overall or general satisfaction with local area
- Percentage of local authority budgets delegated to local decision making
- Percentage of people who believe people from different backgrounds get on well together in their local area
- Percentage of older people who feel the contribution they make to their local community is valued

Some of these indicators may be drawn from non-council data sources.

Intermediate outcome indicators

These should include indicators that reflect the specific contribution of archives to the intermediate outcomes.

Examples include:

- Number of full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs supported by the archive visitor economy

- Number of service users accessing the archives to work towards a formal qualification

- Number of service users in the last X years who have gained a formal qualification partly as a result of working with the archives

- Number of people who think that the archive helps make their local area a nicer place to live and or contributes to local identity and pride Percentage of participants who agree that:

- children and young people who agree that participation in an archive project, activity or event has helped them feel happier about coming to school, or helped improve their concentration or behaviour, or helped them be more interested in classes or do better at school

- children and young people who agree that participation in an archive project, activity or event has given them the opportunity to demonstrate their talents and skills, or helped them feel more confident or positive about themselves

- young people who agree that participating, volunteering or training opportunities in archive projects, activities or events helped them get into or stay in education, training or employment

- parents, carers or teachers who agree that participation in an archive project, activity or event is improving children's social interaction or skills

- participation in an archive project, activity or event has helped improve their confidence, self-esteem, communication or social skills

- participation in an archive project, activity or event has helped increase their understanding of how they can influence decisions in their neighbourhood or get involved in local decision making

- participation in an archives project, activity or event has made them want to get more involved in community social action or volunteering

Intermediate outcome indicators may also include non-archive indicators that are short to medium term ‘proxy’ measures for the overarching strategic outcomes.

Examples include:

- emotional wellbeing of looked-after children
- school readiness (early years development)
- percentage of young people participating in regular volunteering
- achievement of children at the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage profile

**Service outcome indicators**

These are indicators specific to archives.

Examples include percentage of:

- children and young people, adults or older people accessing the archive for learning events
- participants who agree that through participation in an archive project or event they have learnt something new
- children and young people, adults or older people regularly volunteering in the archive
- children and young people, adults or older users satisfied with the archive provision in their local area
- residents who agree that archive provision, activities or events have increased their understanding of the local heritage
- young people or adults in formal or informal archive learning opportunities who achieve accreditation or qualifications

Number of: • partnerships with educational establishments and lifelong learning organisations including schools, academies, universities and third sector groups • online resources and level of usage for learning/education • staff obtaining professional qualifications as a result of their work in the archives

Where possible indicators should be broken down further, for example, by geographic area or target wards or by specific groups, including different age groups or disadvantaged and or vulnerable groups. Indicators can also be broken down to differentiate in-house, commissioned or external.

**Service output indicators**

These indicators are also specific to archives.

Examples include:

- **Number of:**
  - young people and adults or older people participating in archive activities, project or events
  - visits or participants in the archive offer (per 1,000 population)
  - children and young people participating in archive activities during the school holidays
  - young people at risk of offending engaged in positive activities through the archive
  - young people, adults or older people participating in archive outreach activities
  - young people, adults or older people regularly volunteering in the archive
  - young people in employment, education or training with the archive
  - young people gaining a recognised accreditation or qualification
  - people accessing the archive service for the first time
  - local civil society archive organisations supported to gain skills
  - events hosted with lifelong learning programmes and organisations such as U3A

Where possible, indicators should be broken down further, for example, by geographic area or target wards or by specific groups, including different age groups or disadvantaged and or vulnerable groups.

Indicators can also be broken down to differentiate in-house, commissioned or external.